5 ways to unleash your sheer strength

I love the term ‘sheer strength’. The words sheer and strength
wouldn’t typically be paired together. By definition they are opposites.

Sheer means see-through, delicate, and transparent. Strength means
strong and the opposite of being weak.

…to be transparent is to be strong…to be strong is to
be weak at times.

And so when you marry these words together—so melodically and like
two sides of a coin—it feels as though one cannot survive without the
other. It’s as though they need each other and balance each other out.
Or maybe they blend into each other. That to be
transparent is to be strong. That to be strong is to be
weak at times.

For me, sheer strength is really about self-love. In moments of
extreme vulnerability, can I find compassion for myself? On days when
I don’t want to workout, can I be honest about what is really going on
and take action? And in my worst and ugliest moments, can I still
believe I am worth loving? When all else fails, do I still believe in me?

And if the answer is yes to any, or all, of these questions—that is
sheer strength.

Look, life happens. We all make mistakes and lessons are constantly
learned. But sheer strength is to sometimes give up and then change
your mind to try again. It is purposely sabotaging a perfectly good
relationship and then fighting to give it a second chance. Sheer
strength is the decision to never walk away from you and your personal
growth. To push and push yourself to become what you have always
envisioned. And when you make a mistake, you try again.

I cannot think of anything more beautiful than a woman who knows
herself and accepts all sides of her. I cannot think of anything more
beautiful than a woman, who despite everything, decides she is enough
and always worth it.

On days where you might be lacking in strength follow these 5
mindful practices to tap into, and unleash, your sheer strength:

1. Find gratitude

Gratitude is the number one way to bring yourself back to your
center. Even on the toughest of days, one moment of gratitude can
alter your entire perspective. Everyday, try to find three things you
are grateful for. It can be as small as a cup of coffee or as big as
gratitude for your health. Whatever it is, practice this everyday.

2. Be honest with yourself

Honesty with yourself is one of the greatest forms of self-love. On
days when you are feeling down, angry, unmotivated or having an
emotional response to something, take a moment to ask yourself the
question- why? Why are you feeling this way? What started it? Then go
one step further. Take ownership over it and ask yourself how you can
help yourself in this situation. What can you do to make yourself see
clearly and to feel better? Listen for the answer.

3. Be compassionate and kind to yourself

The most loving thing we can ever do for ourselves is to be kind and
compassionate to ourselves even when we are feeling low or have done
something we are not proud of. For instance, on days when you are
hating your body and beating yourself up, say one loving thing to
yourself even if you don’t want to. Or you can say “I understand I am
hating me today, and I’m sorry. I promise to work on this because I
know I can do and be better.” I personally have practiced this many
times. And every time it works. The compassion I show myself in a dark
moment immediately starts to shift my energy.

4. Forgive yourself

If kindness and compassion are the most loving thing you can do,
forgiving yourself is the toughest and most rewarding. We’ve all
messed up. I’ve messed up BIG in life. And sometimes even when I think
about those moments, I cringe. But if you truly understand that our
mistakes help us evolve into who we are meant to be, then you see the
value in it. And if you can see the value, then you can find forgiveness.

5.Take action

Once you’ve built this inner foundation, it is now time to have an
action based life. If you want something, you have to go for it. If
you want to get fit, you have to work out and consistently. There is
no way around it. If you make a mistake, admit it to yourself, be kind
to yourself, forgive yourself and then make sure you take action to
fix it. When you see results from taking action, you build trust in
yourself, in your abilities and you believe in you.